ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rule — government
  4. face — to confront
  5. rule — a law
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. press — to push
  8. vault — a safe
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fall — to drop
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. press — newspapers
  14. face — part of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. fall — to drop
  18. roll — a list
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. press — a publisher
  23. branch — a division
  24. face — to point toward

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com